Madly In Love With Sound

February 24, 2009July 2, 2017

[Sensory Replication No. 1] – ‘Adrift’ (1969-2001)

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I think I’ve been a non-practicing producer since I got my first pair of headphones: I’ve always been pulled in by the staging of sound, the dryness or wetness of it, the sense of music pulling or pushing one forward, spinning you around, the mysteriouss relationship between timbre and emotion. Eventually, I began to hear the world around me as music, too–how different spaces and different noises also created emotions. I love the way both music and sounds in an environment literally feel in my ears, and the way my body responds even before my mind can. And so eventually, as my own music was limited by my talent and means, and none of my friends was begging me to produce their records, I started mixing (instead of compiling) “finished” music together, with idea that mixed music–treated as sonic/emotional raw material–could at least temporarily replicate our full sensory intake, including a sense of time, and perhaps even call us to a heightened sensory state. ‘Adrift‘ was the first mix where I fully embraced this approach, the results of which I’ve decided with unrepentant nerdiness to call the ‘Sensory Replication Series‘.

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At a brief 31 minutes, ‘Adrift‘ is by far the simplest of this series, in technical terms. Consisting of ten primary tracks only sometimes intermingled (unlike later, more ambitious mixes that involved remixing, dubbing, or weaving six tracks together at once) it relies on the way its component pieces fit harmoniously together. Looking at the artists in the tracklist, ‘Adrift’ might seem to be a somewhat edgy, cerebral affair; but in fact, this is mysterious, sensual, even sweet music, and I’m not certain whether I’ve since matched the purely intoxication of this mix. I find this music heartbreaking in the most delicious way. These mixes tend to be the least popular here at Musicophilia, but I hope that for those who allow themselves to drift in, they offer a listening experience outside the every-day.

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Mostly instrumental, this mix brings you the most unabashedly beautiful, emotional sides of John Cale, Faust, Rachel’s, This Heat, Mnemonists, Harmonia, Neu, Holger Czukay and Brian Eno (here interpolating Pachelbel with what would seem to be a mental excercise but which is almost more affecting than the original, for me). The timecode provided with the tracklist is very approximate; but I’d suggest you basically ignore it, and try to let the trainspotting tendency to dissipate. I think you’ll be amazed how quickly 31 minutes passes in this territory. If you do enjoy this mix, please don’t miss the most recent addition to the series, ‘Tall Stories of Evil Gris-Gris,’ a dirtier, haunted, swampy, funky, twisted and more beat-oriented approach to the Senrory Replication idea. Full tracklist and download after the “more…” link.

5 thoughts on “[Sensory Replication No. 1] – ‘Adrift’ (1969-2001)”

Hahaha Jack, you’re the best, man. I would love to–or at least–my real idea was always that my friends would record/produce their “real” album, and then they’d let me fuck around with it all and make an alternate mix. I think I’ve been able to throw a few bits and bobs and tricks friends’ ways over the years–but the truth is, I know fuck all what I’m doing. Jack–you should read Simon Reynolds’ new book of post-punk interviews, just because–I don’t know, I’m not one to be impressed with rock stars, but these guys (and girls) were really thinking about shit and listening like mad and having fun, I just dig the way they think about it all, and I bet you would, too.

‘Rip it Up’ was cool, but ‘Totally Wired’ is the one I’m on–and I’m pretty sure I like it more. Something about the primary-source quality of it just does it for me.

And I’m very there, if/when you want me to tear stuff apart. I haven’t created a note or noise from scratch in like eight years now! So apparently I’m never going to, and I think it’d be more fun to mess with others’ sounds, anyway. If you’ve got any previews–if you want me to have any sense of what to expect (and not knowing is cool, too)–email me. I’m excited just to hear you’re making music!